Latest Articles about Military/Security
Tenth Anniversary of the War That Wounded Georgia and Derailed Russia
In the first week of August 2008, escalating tensions between Georgia and Russia exploded in a messy battle for Tskhinvali, South Ossetia. The resulting “Five Day War” culminated in the advance of Russian tanks to the suburbs of Tbilisi. A ceasefire was negotiated by then-president... MORE
Turkey Stalls NATO, Clings to Defunct Status Quo in the Black Sea
United States President Donald Trump’s behavior at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) recent summit in Brussels (July 11–12) and in its aftermath has cast a shadow on this landmark event. Trump’s follow-up actions, including the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, continued hitting... MORE
Russian Navy Preparing to Take on US
Russian President Vladimir Putin loves the navy. Growing up in St. Petersburg—the old imperial capital built by Tsar Peter the Great as the center of Russian naval power—Putin may have been enthralled with the sea and ships. Yet, he graduated from the legal faculty of... MORE
NATO in Ukraine: High Strategic Stake, Irresolute Engagement
United States President Donald Trump’s behavior at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) recent summit in Brussels (July 11–12) and in its aftermath has cast a shadow on this landmark event. Trump’s follow-up actions, including the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, continued hitting... MORE
Russia’s New PMC Patriot: The Kremlin’s Bid for a Greater Role in Africa?
The All-Russian Officers’ Assembly, a national war veterans’ organization, published a document, on July 5, urging government officials to legalize so-called Private Military Companies (PMC). The document was signed by Colonel General (ret.) Leonid Ivashov (the president of the Academy for Geopolitical Problems), Colonel (ret.)... MORE
Ukraine’s Defense Industry Slowly Moves Toward Adopting NATO Standards
Ukraine has begun mass producing ammunition for 40-millimeter automatic grenade launchers, the state defense industry monopoly Ukroboronprom recently announced. This caliber is widely used by the militaries of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states; whereas, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have, thus far, utilized mainly... MORE
Armenia’s Involvement With NATO Helps It Strengthen Relations With Georgia
Russian and Western analysts often view the pursuit of contacts with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by countries between Russia and the Alliance as a zero-sum game—particularly, as far as Moscow is concerned. Consequently, such reorientations tend to be discussed exclusively in terms of... MORE
Latvia’s Changing Political Parties and Efforts to Combat Soviet Nostalgia
The last remnants of the so-called “Homo Sovieticus” phenomenon—characterized by low loyalty toward the national state, hostility to Western-style liberal-democratic values, and high levels of Soviet nostalgia and pro-Russian feelings—may be on the verge of extinction in Latvian politics. Most of the country’s main political... MORE
NATO-Ukraine-Georgia Summit Breaks New Ground Despite Disruptions
United States President Donald Trump’s behavior at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) recent summit in Brussels (July 11–12) and in its aftermath has cast a shadow on this landmark event. Trump’s follow-up actions, including the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, continued hitting... MORE
NATO Summit Puts Black Sea Strategy on Hold for Another Year (Part One)
United States President Donald Trump’s behavior at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) recent summit in Brussels (July 11–12) and in its aftermath has cast a shadow on this landmark event. Trump’s follow-up actions, including the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, continued hitting... MORE